Small town tragedies

[greatbear]

Got some bad news yesterday. A fire in Jeff's hometown of Trevorton, PA took five lives. And in what is typical in small towns (Trevorton has about 1500 townsfolk) the people who lost their lives were friends of Jeff as well as his nieces. Yeah, everyone knows everyone in these small, old-fashioned towns, unlike the cold interchangeability of people in modern suburbia. And with these old towns come old houses that can go up in flames so easily. Jeff tells me that this house was basically only blocks away from the fire department. Things can change so horrifically, so fast.

Article at The Daily Item. Pictures here.

Please be careful.

Comments

[kjvbear.livejournal.com]

even with newer houses though, people just do not have a clue how fast a fire can travel under the right conditions. I learned first hand when I was 15 and opened the basement door of our house after smelling smoke. Opening that door caused a backdraft that blew me across the room (luckily or I would have been toasted). I had all of about 20 seconds to make it out the kitchen door some 15 feet away with the flames at my back as I ran with the dogs. Fire Department arrvied about 5 minutes later and by that time almost the entire house was involved at that point. My parents arrived home right about the time the roof over the kitchen collapsed. At that time, that house was only about 15 years old.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Yikes!

Yeah, I have seen new homes go up in no time with the fire department doing what they can to control it and losing the battle.

[le-lapin.livejournal.com]

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Merci. :-)

[fjdbear.livejournal.com]

Hugs to Jeff...and you.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Thanks :-)

[stillturning.livejournal.com]

Are you aware of anything that has been established to help these families?

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I have not checked. Jeff said there is talk going around that it could have been arson. I will see what I can find out this weekend.